


Sola Fide

by rolerei



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Assisted Suicide, Blind Ignis Scientia, Cults, Execution, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Ignis Scientia Needs a Hug, Mentioned Noctis Lucis Caelum, Violence, World of Ruin (Final Fantasy), and he's gonna get it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29001039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rolerei/pseuds/rolerei
Summary: Years into the long night, Ignis is struggling alone with the loss of his sight - and a recurring vision of Noctis' grim future. Determined to stop the vision from coming true, he leaves the safety of Lestallum for the ruins of Insomnia, where he is ambushed by an end-of-the-world cult group calling themselves the Crusaders. The violent encounter starts a chain of events that leads Ignis to question everything that he knows.Is the Crusaders' King of Light really Noctis, who's finally returned to sacrifice himself and save the world?But most importantly: will Ignis be able to save him before it's too late?(Written for World of Ruin Bigbang)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 10
Collections: World of Ruin Big Bang





	1. Urite mala mundi

**Author's Note:**

> Meaning of title: by faith alone.
> 
> This fic was written as part of World of Ruin Bigbang, where I got to work together with the wonderfully talented [autumnstwilight](https://autumnstwilight.tumblr.com), who provided the art for this fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: burn down the evils of the world.

It felt like the fight had been going on forever. Ignis could feel it in the aches of his muscles and the heaviness of breaths that he took. At one point, he jabbed the end of his polearm onto the steel walkway to support himself. The sharp noise of steel against steel grated at his ear.

At the same time, Prompto was ominously silent. Gladio's presence, too, was barely noticeable. Yet, Ignis could clearly sense the movements and the rustling of clothes from another man standing a small distance away before him, could feel the particles that swirled around him and spread far and wide like a miasma.

At one point, Ignis heard Chancellor Ardyn Izunia take steps forward. "How touching it is to see the loyal advisor of the Lucian monarch fighting so hard for his charge," he remarked. "While the King himself slumbers away inside the Crystal."

Ignis clenched his teeth. Then he stood upright and aimed his polearm towards the direction of the Chancellor's voice. "Let Noctis go," he demanded. "Or you shall pay the price."

Somewhat expectedly, Ardyn burst into a cackle. Then he took another step closer, and then another. The sole of his boots thudded heavily against the steel.

"You know that is not my decision to make, Mr. Scientia."

The Chancellor's voice was low and dark, and Ignis could almost see him flashing a smile, with the black Scourge particles surrounding his form. Perhaps he would even open up his arms in a theatrical way he had introduced himself to the four of them in Galdin Quay.

"You have seen it, haven't you?" he resumed. "What is going to happen, what role our dear _Noct_ is supposed to take, when the time is come."

A deep frown settled on Ignis' expression as a different set of images began to appear in his mind's eyes. Images of Noctis ascending the throne of Lucis and summoning previous reigning kings, who in turn raised their swords at him. All in the name of bringing light back to Eos. He had seen them all in the last moments before the Ring of Lucii took away his vision forever.

Shortly afterwards, Ignis could also sense the air change. Then, a familiar buzz rang in the air - a weapon was being summoned from the Armiger. Ignis had only a split second to react, raising his polearm just in time to block the sword that was slashing down at him.

"Oh, you are _good_ , are you not?" Ardyn purred. "It would seem that you have much improved since your unfortunate incident in Altissia."

Ignis shoved back against his opponent before pivoting aside and striking back. It was immediately met with another blade, resulting in a frustrated grunt to slip out of his lips.

"I cannot care less what happened to me - or the world, in that matter," he announced. "No matter what I have to do, I _will_ save Noctis!"

Subsequently, Ignis pulled out a Firaga spell from under the inner pocket of his suit jacket. The spell slipped from his gloved fingers onto the steel walkway between him and the Chancellor, almost as if it was by accident - and Ignis braced for an explosion.


	2. Vere passum, immolatum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: truly suffered, offered

Ignis woke up abruptly, taking in a long, sharp breath before sitting up on the bunk bed that he was lying in. He stayed still for a moment, listening to his own breathing as it slowly became more even, until he heard the rustling of fabric from somewhere above him.

"Sir?" Talcott's voice was careful, although there was still some grogginess in it as well. "Is everything alright?"

Ignis sighed and placed one hand over his own scarred eye. The beating of his own heart was loud and fast, echoing as far as behind his eardrums. He tried his best to calm it down before answering, "I'm alright, Talcott. I just… had a bad dream is all."

"... Okay."

At that point, Ignis felt a pang of guilt for Talcott. The boy could have been sleeping in the comfort of his own bed back in Lestallum, surrounded by what remained of his family. But instead he was here on a bunk bed inside a damp hideout in Insomnia, getting woken up by a delirious blind man.

Perhaps he should have sent Talcott away when the boy had shown up by the main road of Lestallum, where Ignis had been waiting for an incoming truck to Leide. How the boy had figured out where to find him was a mystery - Ignis definitely hadn't said a word to Gladio about his plans, and it had been weeks since Prompto had left for the Imperial Continent.

At first, Ignis had thought that Talcott had wanted to stop him. But the boy had quietly told Ignis that he had decided to help and that he was done being treated as a child: someone weak that needed protecting.

Back in a bunk bed in a Kingsglaives' hideout, Ignis couldn't help but wonder if he really could have prevented Talcott from coming with him, even if he had sent the boy away.

"It's almost 6AM, Sir," Talcott's voice effectively broke Ignis' train of thoughts. "Shall we get ready and head out for the Citadel?"

"Yes, we probably should," replied Ignis. Within seconds, there was a pair of hands on his forearm that guided him up and helped him find his cane. Ignis stopped himself from flinching away - Talcott only wanted to help, he told himself, and Ignis could relate to that helpless feeling all too well.

After they both had gotten dressed, Talcott led Ignis out of the hideout and towards the streets of Insomnia. They moved slowly and carefully, paying close attention to their surroundings. Nowadays, more and more daemons roamed around in the open, even during the day. That was Ignis' only point of reference to gauge just how much the light had disappeared from the world.

Ever since Altissia, his world had mostly turned into blurry shapes and shadows. Every once in a while, a spark of bright light or a glittering surface would catch his attention. But over time, after some training, it was the sounds that he relied on the most to orient himself. How his steps and Talcott's echoed off his right and left sides told him that there were concrete walls flanking their way, about five meters apart. Droplets of water dripped into a puddle ahead, its echo rippled out to a wider, bigger area. The chilled humidity clung onto his exposed skin like dew on leaves.

"We're in front of the main station of Insomnia," explained Talcott.

"The Citadel should be minutes away by foot from here," concluded Ignis.

"Yeah... maybe we could even get out of here before the end of the day."

Ignis nodded. In his mind's eye, he could clearly see the main station from his youth, full of commuters of any kinds. Students, office workers, Citadel employees, Galahdian refugees… everyone had somewhere to go, creating a flow of movements that was in many ways forming the lifeblood of the city.

And in that moment, years into the Long Night, Ignis could sense none of that flow. The only movements he could sense were his and Talcott's - at least until he heard a subtle rustle somewhere to his right. Then, a steel singing sound of a weapon being unsheathed.

"Talcott, get down!"

Ignis tried to push the boy aside while withdrawing his knives. However, before he could properly take a proper fighting stance, someone had shot arrows in their direction. Ignis managed to deflect one, but the second arrow managed to hit home on Talcott’s shoulder, sending him skidding back and releasing his hold on Ignis’ elbow.

Ignis gritted his teeth. More arrows sliced through the air - judging from the speed, he guessed that they were fired from a crossbow. Or perhaps multiple of them. Ignis could barely stay long enough to investigate, however, as one of the shooters dropped their bow and charged ahead. Ignis managed to block and parry his attacker before hitting them in the side of their head with the blunt end of his knife’s handle.

When the silence stretched on for more than several moments, Ignis finally concluded that it was safe enough to straighten up and catch after his own breaths. "Talcott?" he called out loud, but received no response. Aside from the steady sound of water droplets echoing against the concrete floor, he could hear nothing else.

Sighing, Ignis sheathed his knives and began to examine the area where the teen had fallen from the arrow. They would have to get back to the hideout and examine his wound closely before… 

Ignis paused. On the very spot where he had heard Talcott stumble, there was no sign of the younger man anywhere.

Slowly and steadily, Ignis' heartbeat rate began to increase at the realization. Their attackers really had taken Talcott with them.

A gust of wind came blowing in the direction where the arrows had come from. Ignis turned towards it with a heavy feeling growing inside his chest. Coming to Insomnia had not been easy - even before the Long Night had started, there was barely any trucker that dared to travel to this part of the continent. Nevertheless, he braved it all for the sake of one unwavering purpose: to search the millenia-old archives in the Citadel for possible ways to reverse Noctis' fate.

And then, he found himself standing there, mere hundreds of meters away from his destination, with a difficult choice: should he press on to his original destination? Or should he abandon his goal and chase after Talcott instead?

Ignis let out a long sigh, then took one heavy first step in the direction of the breeze.

* * *

As he walked on, Ignis thought back on his most recent encounter. Both he and Talcott had been attacked not by daemons, but by humans. It was surprising conclusion, but hardly unheard of - robbers and criminals didn't stop existing after the sun stopped rising, after all. In fact, some even argued that the crime rate had gone up drastically compared to the days under the sun.

But why take Talcott? Ignis tried to find any motives to justify the action, but found himself facing a figurative wall. Even when robbers couldn't find what they wanted on their targets, they usually tried to steer clear from kidnapping.

Ignis' train of thoughts was effectively stopped when he heard footsteps some distance away him, along with vaguely conversational noises. Quietly, Ignis drew out his knives and listened closely to the ongoing conversation, using it to gauge whether his presence had been noticed.

"Can't believe I'm finally in Insomnia after all these years…"

"Yeah, me too."

"Wish I could've seen the city before the Long Night, though, under all the lights."

"You will be able to do that soon, don't worry."

"Yeah. Just need to trust in our King, huh?"

"Yep, that's the spi-"

A thud was heard in the dark, and the man was suddenly no longer talking but lying face down on the ground. Alarmed, his partner drew out his crossbow, but was immediately pacified when someone stabbed a blade deep into their skull.

Silence fell for a moment in the dark alley, safe for an errant breathing that was echoed against the concrete walls. Having deduced that it was relatively safe at last, Ignis called out, "Talcott?"

A muffled voice answered, and Ignis quickly bent down, cutting off the fabric that was covering Talcott's mouth with his knife. Talcott took a grateful breath in and thanked Ignis.

"We needta get outta here, Sir," he said next. The little slur in his voice told Ignis that the younger man had been drugged with some muscle relaxant - perhaps from the arrow that had hit him. "Gonna be dangerous."

"Yes, don't worry. We'll be back in the Kingsglaive hideout soon."

As he helped hoist Talcott up, Ignis realized the teen was trying to grip at the front of his shirt in an attempt to get his attention. "Out of Insomnia, Sir," he added, putting the emphasis on the first word.

Ignis paused. "If we leave now, we may never be able to return to the archive in a long time."

The grip on his shirt tightened. "Dangerous people, Sir. Call themselves Crusaders. Don't let them get to you."

Ignis felt a tug in his heart. Despite having been wounded and drugged, Talcott still had it in him to worry about the older man's safety. And to think that he was the one that had dragged Talcott here in the first place… 

Sighing, Ignis reached into the pocket inside his jacket in order to take out his phone. "Very well. I shall find someone who is willing to pick us up from the city's limit within the next 24 hours."

The grip on his shirt unfastened in an instance. "'s good, Sir. Thank you."


	3. Veneremur cernui

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: venerate with your head down.

Out of everyone that had responded to his request at the hunter's HQ channel, it had to be Gladio who gave a positive answer.

Despite his personal reservations, Ignis was left with no choice but to accept the help. Talcott needed medical assistance, and they simply couldn't wait for the next taker to come around.

After replying to Gladio's message, Ignis worked on getting himself and Talcott out of the city, through the causeway bridge that led out to Leide, and then past the abandoned Imperial blockade. They only had to wait an hour until a small truck arrived. The lights coming from its headlight were strong enough that they caused Ignis' eyes to throb, prompting him to close them and turn away.

All the while, the driver got out and approached them with quick, hurried steps. "Shit," Gladio muttered after taking a look at Talcott, and Ignis wondered briefly if the other man's new penchant for cursing had started since he'd gotten more involved with the hunters. "We gotta get him to Hammerhead quick."

Gladio took Talcott over and proceeded to get him into the backseat of the truck. Then he got out to offer Ignis a hand, only for the latter to refuse the assistance.

"I can get in myself, thank you very much," Ignis announced politely before walking towards the truck. The cane that he was using clicked against the arid ground until he was climbing up to the passenger's seat of the truck and slamming the door closed.

Silence hung in the air for a moment afterwards. Eventually, Gladio got onto the driver's seat and started up the engine. It growled to life and Ignis felt the vehicle began to move.

Neither Ignis nor Gladio spoke a word for a while. The only sounds that filled in the silence was coming from the engine, or the soft, pained whines of Talcott in the backseat. Nevertheless, Ignis could sense the questions forming inside Gladio's mind. Ignis had known him for years, after all, even before their more recent falling out.

In the end, Gladio did come to their aid, after all. Ignis figured the least that he could do to thank the other man was to try and make a conversation.

"We weren't attacked by daemons," he ended up saying. "Talcott said they called themselves Crusaders."

He heard Gladio let out a sigh. "I've heard of them. Most hunters around Leide and Duscae do, actually," he replied. "Even the Kingsglaives are struggling to fend them off."

Ignis raised an eyebrow. "And do we know why they're attacking people like this?"

"Well, I heard that they wanted to convert everyone on Eos."

"Convert?"

"Yeah, they're like… a cult, or something. Want to turn all of us into one of their own, who follows all the teachings of their leader. They believe it's the only way to return the Light to this world."

It was subtle, but Ignis could sense some kind of barb - bordering to disgust - in the way Gladio spoke of the group. It prompted Ignis to tilt his face slightly to the left, hoping to see more of the silhouette of the driver.

"Do you know who exactly these… Crusaders… are being led by?" he asked carefully. "And why are they now in Insomnia?"

Ignis could vaguely see Gladio shrugging. "Beats me. No one's ever seen their leader's face, apparently - unless I guess if you were a Crusader." He paused to make a sharp turn. "And ditto with Insomnia. It's not the best place for a base, that's for sure."

"Indeed," agreed Ignis. "So any purpose of them being there must be nostalgic… or a spiritual one."

"Well, they're growing increasingly fanatic, for sure." Gladio paused to huff. "I rescued one guy recently that was kidnapped after an attack. Poor lad. Couldn't stop babbling about how the Crusaders were going to come after him and kill him if he won't convert."

Ignis said nothing in response. In return, Gladio also stopped talking. The silence lasted for as long as it was needed to drive the rest of the way to Hammerhead. The only time they spoke was to coordinate how and where to bring Talcott into one of the various trailers that were parked in the vicinity.

By the time they laid him down in bed, Talcott was completely unconscious. Ignis did check for his heartbeat, though, and found it still steady. His breathing, too, was there, despite being weak. In the cramped space of the trailer, Ignis tried his best to make the teenager feel comfortable, bandaging his wound and tucking him with an extra layer of blanket. By the time he left the trailer, Gladio was waiting right outside.

"The doctor should be here in thirty minutes, tops," he informed.

"That's good to know," replied Ignis curtly.

There was another stretch of silence, followed with a scoff. "Look. I'm not trying to judge here…," Gladio claimed. "But what on Eos were you doing in Insomnia, endangering Talcott like that?"

All of a sudden, all the fatigue from the last couple of days came crashing down on Ignis. He sighed. "Even if I tell you the truth, you're not going to like it."

Ignis turned and headed for another trailer. Part of him expected that Gladio would stop him - perhaps doing something in the line of yanking his arm. But none of it happened.

"I can guess that you were doing something stupid for nothing," Gladio said instead, and it was enough to stop Ignis on his track. "I did a similar thing, you know, when I went into Tempering Grounds with the Marshal."

Gladio took steps forward, but stopped short before he got too close to Ignis. "Why didn't you let me or Prompto come with you?"

Ignis didn't answer. He couldn't, really, when images of Noctis sacrificing his own life played in his mind's eyes and took over all of his attention. The visions were vivid enough - even years after he had put on the Ring - that he feared it would come true if he so much as let the world know it could possibly happen.

Facing yet another stretched silence, Gladio let out an exasperated sigh. Then he walked past Ignis, their shoulders brushing gently before he halted a couple of steps away.

"I miss Noct, too, you know?" He heard Gladio mutter. "Can't wait until that brat snaps off his Crystal sleep and saves us from this gods-awful darkness."

Ignis didn't know how to respond to that statement. So instead he listened to Gladio's steps drawing further and further away, until they had turned into nothing more than a soft pattering in the distance.

At one point, Ignis realized just how hard he had been leaning on his cane. So he eased his hold, and resumed making his way towards an empty trailer. His movements were rigid and stiff from both fatigue and stress.

Once the trailer's door was closed and latched behind him, Ignis' muscles lost all rigidity and he crumpled to the floor. Small, hitched breaths escaped him as the visions of Noctis on the throne swam from a pulsating pain behind his scarred eye. A reminder of what he had lost - and would lose in the future.

 _Oh, Gladio,_ he thought briefly, in one fleeting moment where he could think of anything else outside of his pain and grief.

_If only you knew._


	4. Omnia dividit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: everything shatters.
> 
> All credits go to [autumnstwilight](https://autumnstwilight.tumblr.com) for the accompanying art of this chapter!

By some miracle, Ignis found himself waking up hours later in the bed of the trailer. The headache had calmed down considerably into dull pain behind his left eye. He wasn't going to complain, however. In some mornings, when the pain got quite bad, it was difficult to even lift his head up from the pillow.

Slowly, and with as few groans as possible, Ignis started getting out of bed and navigated his way to the bathroom, which was so small he could barely turn in it. But at the very least, it had warm water - which was increasingly becoming a luxury in the current state of the world.

After he had showered and brushed his teeth, Ignis started to get dressed. He wore his shirt first, and then pants - both of them had been ironed prior to his departure to Insomnia. Once he was dressed, he took a moment in front of a mirror to fix up his hair.

He'd opted for a simpler style nowadays, not only for fashion but also for more practical reasons. And not only due to his recent loss of sight. In a world where many commodities had become rarities, it felt wrong for him to be wasting something like hair products on a daily basis.

After all of that was done, Ignis reached for his shoes, and then his gloves, suit jacket, cane, and tinted glasses. Once he had put on the latter, he was finally ready get out of the trailer and face the world.

It was ironic, in a way. After losing most of his vision, his eyes in turn became so much more sensitive to light - especially the strong ones used in outposts such as Hammerhead to drive away daemons. Oftentimes, prolonged exposure to such light could risk him a bout of migraine.

In the beginning, Ignis thought that it was all temporary, that the symptoms would go away once his wounds healed. And it did, to a certain degree - but some things still remained. Like a certain crystal clear vision that kept returning after he had glimpsed it back in Altissia.

Presently, Ignis made his way steadily towards Talcott's trailer, then stopped to knock on the door. There were rustling sounds coming from inside the trailer before the door was hastily opened.

"Good morning, Sir," greeted Talcott sheepishly. "I-I'm sorry for being late, Sir, I sort of overslept…"

Ignis couldn't hold back a smile even if he wanted to. "That's alright, Talcott. I believe you needed the rest," he said. "And good morning to you, too. How are you feeling now?"

"Um… fine, I guess. The doctor gave me some medicine last night and it seemed to do its job." Talcott's voice turned sheepish. "Thank you very much for saving my life… Sir."

"Don't mention it," replied Ignis. "Shall we have breakfast together? My treat, of course."

Ignis could picture Talcott beaming up at the suggestion, much like when Noctis gave him a rare cactuar doll years ago. "Yes, Sir! Thank you so much."

* * *

Takka's Pit Stop changed a lot since the sun no longer rose, much like the garage and the gas station that were neighboring it. What used to be a small, family-friendly place where travelers could quickly grab some warm food on their journey had become part of a heavily fortified property surrounded by iron fences in the middle of Leiden desert.

The type of patrons changed as well. Hunters and mercenaries sat down in red booths with their weapons and equipment close to their persons as they ate, and Ignis could sense them turning in his and Talcott's direction the moment they stepped through the front door. The silence that followed was tense and almost deafening.

Eventually, they must have concluded that a trimly dressed man and a teenager couldn't possibly be much of a threat, because the chatter and the clinking of cutlery resumed a moment later as if nothing had happened. Ignis let his breath out of his lungs and continued walking, eventually settling on a free stool by the counter.

"Welcome, boys," greeted Takka. "What'd you have?"

"A portion of beans bowl and a toast for me," answered Ignis.

Next to him, Talcott replied, "I'll have the meat sandwich, please." Then he turned towards Ignis. "... If that is okay."

"... Why, of course."

"Alright, coming right up."

Takka went away to prepare their order while Ignis and Talcott settled quietly on their seats. Soon enough, there was a hissing of something being cooked in oil in the air. It caused Ignis' thoughts to inevitably wander to the past, back when he could easily make his way around the kitchen...

"... Speaking of which, I heard the guy that's leading the Crusaders is now on the move, heading for Insomnia."

Ignis perked up upon overhearing another patron speaking, some meters away behind him.

"Man… that's not even funny," replied his companion. "Don't you realize how close Insomnia is from here?"

"But aren't you at least curious about it? I heard they called him the King of Light - like the one in the prophecy…"

"I couldn't care less. Those Crusaders are giving me the creeps. Best not to poke around too much, if you ask me."

"They're a bit of an unhinged bunch, yeah…"

"Sadistic, more like. Did you not hear what they did in Keycatrich?"

The conversation continued on for a good few minutes, but Ignis had his attention distracted by Takka, who was bringing out the food. The fragrant smell of toasted bread was enough to remind Ignis just how hungry he was.

"The Crusaders and their leader. It's all that people here's been talking about lately," said Takka. "If you ask me, all this talk of King of Light - it's all just a ruse. A way to make the man seem bigger than life."

Ignis reached for his bowl of beans and toast slowly, contemplating Takka's words. "Don't you think there might be a shred of truth in the rumor? It seems unlikely that a big group of people would unanimously follow after an obvious liar."

"Well, it doesn't matter if he lies," replied Takka. "So long as he gives people hope, they'll follow him everywhere."

"I suppose that makes sense." Ignis grimaced and began to dig in, pausing temporarily to tell Talcott, "Bon appetit."

"Yeah… you, too, enjoy your meal, Sir."

The breakfast went on mostly in silence. At least, until Talcott broke it to ask, "So… are you still cooking a lot nowadays, Sir?"

"Not really," confessed Ignis. "It's rather… cumbersome to try to find someone that can help me in the kitchen."

Of course, that wasn't always the case. In the beginning of Long Night, Gladio and Prompto still dropped by every once in a while to help him prepare dinner. But these days, distance and other priorities mainly got in the way.

"Oh…" Ignis heard Talcott's voice falter. "If you want me to help you, Sir, then just let me know."

Ignis smiled. "Thank you for the offer. Perhaps once we make it back to Lestallum safely, I could use some help with dinner."

"Yes, Sir!" Talcott replied, his voice was as enthusiastic as ever.

They finished up their breakfast not long afterwards, then exited Takka's. At that point, the outpost had picked up some more activities. A couple of trucks and other vehicles had lined up by the gas station and garage, waiting to get serviced.

Years after the Long Night began, Hammerhead was still considered the best garage in the entire continent - thanks to Cindy's skills and knack for obtaining parts. So Ignis could imagine people were willing to travel far to get their vehicles and other gadgets fixed up here.

"Shall we ask around if we could hitchhike one of those trucks back to Lestallum, Sir?" suggested Talcott.

"That is certainly not a bad idea," replied Ignis, quietly surprised by Talcott's resourcefulness.

As the two of them were heading towards the gas station, two other vehicles pulled into the compound. However, unlike the other trucks, these incoming vehicles didn't slow down as they arrived. Loud screeching sound of tires against asphalt could be heard before one of them crashed against part of the iron fence - and headed straight for the gas station.

"Talcott, look out!!" Ignis reached out and stopped the younger man from running further. At the same time, the vehicle drove right into one of the gas pumps. There was a tense, quiet moment in the air as gasoline began to trickle onto the concrete floor, before it was then consumed by an earth-shattering explosion.

Ignis dropped flat against the ground out of reflex, taking Talcott down with him. After the initial explosion, there was heat, and chaos. People were screaming in pain and panic and running away for cover. Among the disorder, Ignis could also hear guns being loaded and blades being unsheathed.

"I-It's them, Sir," Talcott called out, all the while helping Ignis up to his feet. "The Crusaders!"

Ignis cursed quietly, dismissed his cane, and summoned both of his knives. "Go! Don't let them see you!" he warned Talcott, fearing that the group had come to Hammerhead for retaliation.

"Yes, Sir!"

Once Talcott properly hid away, Ignis carefully made his way forward. A man rushed in his direction and drew up his weapon. Ignis simply ducked and slashed at his opponent's weapon-wielding arm to incapacitate him.

More men rushed in his direction afterwards. Ignis managed to disarm one of them with the same technique. The other attacker took advantage of his occupied attention, however, and struck down at Ignis' right side - but the blow never homed in. Someone else had blocked it, and all that Ignis could immediately register in his vision was a blur of yellow.

"Cindy…?"

Ignis' confused question was answered with a twangy, "Really. Ya got blindsided once and all ya wanna do now is pick a conversation with me? Y'all are hopeless, I swear…"

The rough voice was definitely not Cindy's, but Cid's. The older man wasted no time before punching the Crusader right in the face, sending the man reeling back. He then turned to Ignis. "Well, what're you waiting for? Go and make yerself useful."

"... Copy that."

Ignis stood upright and tried to direct himself away from the crossfire. The fire was still burning - the heat of it seeped through the layers of clothes on his back, and the air was thick with smoke and gasoline vapor.

He headed immediately towards what he remembered as the wall of gas station shop, then followed it along with his hand until he got to the other side of the building. It didn't take long for Ignis to realize that he wasn't alone. There were other men - most probably hunters that he'd seen back at Takka's - that had arrived there before he did, reloading and preparing their weapons as they conversed among themselves.

"Just how many are they, really?!"

"No clue… can't really see shit from here."

"Maybe not all of them were coming in with the car?"

"Who cares? Just start shooting!"

Not long after, there was a buzz that cut through the air, followed with a series of grunts. All the hunters that were talking to each other only a moment before suddenly went silent.

Ignis took a step forward from where he was hiding, knives at ready. His heart picked up pace as he took in his surroundings. The smell of smoke was thick in the air, mixed in with the musty, tangy smell of blood.

Amid the crackle of fire, Ignis heard the sound again. A whir in the air like a cable about to snap on a hot summer's day. This time, he turned and raised his weapons just in time to block an incoming swift, powerful strike.

And it wasn't just any attack.

Ignis gasped as his own memories brought him back to years ago. He could still see, then, and had been driving into the basin area of Vesperpool. He couldn't remember from where they had departed, but it must not have been very far, because the four of them had enough energy left for a friendly spar before setting up camp. Noctis had been the first one to attack, his weapon appeared in his hand amidst scattering crystals before his form disappeared into a blur of light - then he reappeared again with a buzz that preceded the clanging of steels between his blade and Ignis' knives.

"... Who are you?" Back in a burning Hammerhead, deep into the Long Night, Ignis asked the question. His gloved hands trembled from both the effort of blocking his opponent and the anguish caused by uncertainty. "How on Eos are you able to do that?"

Before Ignis could get his answer, he heard footsteps approaching. Light and fast - they were most definitely a woman's. "How _dare_ you touch the King, you filthy heathen!!" screamed his would-be attacker.

Gritting his teeth, Ignis pulled one of his knives back to block the incoming attack, but he was still too slow. The tip of a spear hit the left part of his tinted glasses, sending the apparatus clattering against the concrete floor. The distraction was taken full advantage of by his main opponent as he promptly stepped aside and warped away.

"No!" Ignis shouted.

He then turned to the female Crusader, readily charging ahead. But she promptly evaded each one of Ignis' attacks and withdrew to where she came from.

Panting from the sudden exertion, Ignis looked up, and thought he could see a blurry shadow of someone in a hooded robe standing on the rooftop. The million-watts lights that shunned away the daemons were on his back. And even though Ignis knew that he shouldn't - that his eyes would most probably regret it later - he kept his gaze steady on the figure.

"Noct…" He had almost forgotten how it felt like to say the nickname out loud. "... Is that really you?"

The shadow on the rooftop moved, and for one hopeful moment Ignis believed that his voice had been heard. Then there was a buzz in the air and everything was silent except for the crackling of fire.

Ignis lowered his chin and soon found solace in the darkness and pressure of his gloved palm against his face. Each throb from his eyes was a parallel to his own racing heartbeat.

It took him another moment to realize that both his eyes and cheeks were damp with tears.


	5. Ad lucem quam inhabitas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: the light where you dwell.

Compared to the wounds and loss of property that several people had to suffer that day, Ignis' migraine was nothing to complain about. Or so he told himself as he locked himself up in his trailer, away from the ruckus that followed after the Crusaders had retreated.

He kept the trailer dark and the curtains drawn, and climbed into the bed after peeling each layer of clothes that he wore on his back. Then he laid down for the rest of the day, drifting between sleeping and waking. His eyes throbbed along, like the beating heart of a monster that had swallowed the sun.

In his dreams, Ignis saw the hooded figure on Hammerhead's roof turn around, and at once he was standing in the throne room of Lucis. The King walked up each of the winding steps towards the throne before pausing to touch the armrest. Afterwards, he lowered his hood and turned back around to look directly in Ignis' direction - and Ignis, in turn, was staring right into Noctis, who was calling out his name.

_"Ignis…"_

Ignis woke up abruptly and suddenly. The throbbing pain in his eyes had subsided, but his thundering heartbeat remained. And he knew, without a shred of doubt, that he had to find out who the King of Light really was.

With this new resolution in mind, Ignis got off the bed and prepared himself, once again, to face the world.

* * *

The Hammerhead's garage in his memories was a wide space full of materials and equipment. There was hardly anyone there except for Cid and Cindy.

However, when Ignis stood in the garage years later, it was anything but devoid of people. After the fire had been successfully put out, all hunters and truckers that got wounded were all gathered in the garage to receive first aid. Many of them sat or lied around the floor, while Cindy walked all around them, talking to people and making calls.

"I told ya so many times already: we just got attacked!" Ignis heard the female mechanic shout at whoever she was talking with over the phone. "There ain't nobody coming up to fetch the doctor from here, that's for sure. All the best hunters on your call, and ya can't even spare one to drive a doctor this way?!"

After a few more seconds of bickering, Cindy ended the call, and Ignis took the opportunity to step forward and make his presence known to her. "Good morning, Cindy."

"Oh, yer up already, Mr. Advisor?" she replied. "You should go find Talcott. The kid's been worried sick about ya."

"Yes, about that…" Ignis lowered his eyes and tapped lightly on the tip of his cane with his index finger. "I need to ask your help with something, and… it'd be better if Talcott has no knowledge of it."

"Oh?" Cindy's voice was laced with curiosity, and Ignis could easily imagine her tilting her head or crossing her arms as she listened more closely. "What is it?"

Ignis let out a sigh. "I want to know if it's in any way possible for me to go back to Insomnia, as soon as possible."

"Hmm…" Cindy didn't respond for a moment, and Ignis steeled himself to face the possible rejection. But instead, what she answered was, "That's gonna be tough, but I think I know just someone who could help you out."

"Really?" Ignis couldn't hide his surprise at how easy things had unfolded. A moment later, he caught himself and reprised, "I mean, thank you. I don't quite know how to pay you back for your help."

Cindy huffed. "Eh. Don't worry 'bout it. I don't know what you boys are going through, but if ya think I can be of some help, just let me know."

Ignis smiled. "I will remember that."

"Also, put this on, will you?" Cindy added before placing something that onto Ignis' upturned palm. "Some boys use this to protect their eyes when they work in the garage. Figured it might have some use for ya."

Ignis felt around the plastic in his hands and concluded that it was some kind of visor. A sturdy one, at that, fitting for the kind of work required from a Hammerhead mechanic. He put it on, and immediately noticed that the visor fit him perfectly. As if it was crafted specifically for him.

"Thank you very much, Cindy," he told the mechanic once again.

"As I've said before: don't worry 'bout it, handsome," Cindy drawled before walking away - and Ignis' first thought was what would Gladio and Prompto react if they had heard those exact words just now.

Well, too bad he wasn't going to contact them anytime soon.

* * *

Following instructions from Cindy, Ignis stood waiting under the Hammerhead's sign. Soft rustlings could be heard somewhere a few meters away, and if not for the strong, daemons-shunning lights that were mounted just next to the sign, Ignis would have drawn his weapons readily.

As it was, he waited patiently until the silence was disrupted by an incoming roar of an engine. The truck stopped right in front of him, not too close and not too far away, and Ignis could hear a distinct sound of the truck's door opening and closing, followed by the sound of high heels clicking against the asphalt.

"Well, well. Looks like I'll be stuck with you for the next few hours."

Ignis tilted his head slightly at the other person's sense of familiarity. "Pardon me, but my sight is not how it used to be… do we happen to know each other?"

"Oh, right. Shit. Sorry about that." There was a soft leather creak when the truck's driver shifted - probably out of discomfort. "It's Aranea. I'd expected Cindy to tell you that I was coming."

"Aranea?" repeated Ignis almost automatically. To say that he was surprised would be an understatement. "Since when are you back in Lucis?"

"Oh, long time ago, actually," she replied nonchalantly. "Well, come on, then. Looks like we got a lot to catch up on before we reach Insomnia."

Ignis followed after Aranea as she headed back to the truck, using the clicks of her shoes as guidance. Once the two of them had settled inside the truck, the former mercenary ignited the engine and began driving.

It took several moments of driving in silence before Ignis finally thought to ask, "So you were saying you had been in Lucis for a while now?"

"Yes. Eventually there are only so many refugees that need help getting around, you see," explained Aranea. "At one point, all of them found their way to Lestallum."

"Hm. That makes sense."

"Doesn't mean that I run out of job, however. With how packed the city is, people inevitably want to be out for a bit, stretch their legs."

"And so you escort them, for a price?" It was not a real question. What Ignis really wanted to ask Aranea followed immediately afterwards, "How much will this excursion cost me, if I may ask?"

"None. It's already been paid," she replied, in a tone that sounded almost conspiratorial. Then, she asked back, "So… Blondie and Muscle are taking it easy tonight, I assume?"

"Yes," answered Ignis automatically. "There's… something that I need to do by myself in Insomnia."

Aranea hummed. "I'd love to ask more but I have a feeling you don't want to tell me."

"Your feelings aren't entirely inaccurate."

Aranea chuckled. "Insomnia, huh? There's… something about that place that keeps drawing people, somehow. Even when it's nothing but ruins now."

Ignis arched one eyebrow up. "Are you talking about the Crusaders that are settling in the city?"

"Sure. They're hardly the first ones, though." Aranea's voice turned softer as she continued, "I wonder if those Crusaders know what they're up against… all those Insomnian refugees who returned, I don't think I've ever seen them again."

Ignis was quiet for a moment before asking, "Do you know what might have happened to them?"

A huff. "Who knows? Maybe it's the 'disappearing sickness' from Gralea," replied Aranea. "Or maybe they just… never left again. After all, some people prefer to live with memories instead of facing the real world.

"Anyway, I'm the wrong person to talk to about this," concluded Aranea. "You have a better chance asking my business partner who'll be joining us on this trip, and has more experience escorting people into the city."

"Business partner?" Behind his visor, Ignis couldn't help but blink. "Did you mean Biggs or Wedge?"

"Nah. They went with Prompto to Niflheim, remember? Anyway. You know her, actually, and I'm pretty sure she'll be excited to see you again after all this time."

Ignis was about to ask who Aranea's business partner was, but refrained from it as he sensed the truck slowing down to an eventual stop.

"We're almost there," announced Aranea. "My business partner is setting up a camp nearby. We'll rest there tonight and continue on together with her."

"Alright. I shall follow right behind you."

They exited the truck afterwards, and walked through the dry terrain of Leide. As soon as they left the road, the clicks of Aranea's heels were dampened by the sandy grounds, making it slightly more challenging for Ignis to follow. At one point, strong gusts of wind blew by, adding another layer of noise on top of the already muted landscape. It got worse with the passing moments, to the point that the wind was the only thing that he could hear.

"Aranea?!" Ignis called out at one point. "Where are you?"

All of a sudden, Ignis felt someone grab at his wrist. He withdrew his knife out of reflex, but froze when he heard someone yell, "Ignis, wait! It's me, Iris. You still remember me, right?"

"... Iris? Iris Amicitia?" Ignis felt his jaw slackened. " _You're_ Aranea's business partner?"

Ignis heard a giggle in reply. A little less high-pitched than the one he remembered back in Galdin Quay, but still recognizable nonetheless. "Well, she's more like a teacher to me, but sure. Let's go with _business partner_ instead."

Before Ignis could say anything in return, he sensed Iris tugging at his wrist. "Come on. Let's get you closer to the fire. It's freezing out here!"

* * *

The crackling of fire against the wood was warm and familiar. However, Ignis couldn't help but wince at the association that came along with it. All those nights that he had spent with Noctis and the others on the road to Altissia… 

"Oh, you found him at last?" Aranea's voice came just in time, breaking Ignis' train of thoughts before it could derail into a spiral. "Good. I gotta go check out that rundown Imperial base just around the corner, see what's lying around."

"Ah, we can come along with you, if you want," added Iris.

"Nah. Save your energy for later, Daemonslayer," replied Aranea. "Besides, you two must have a lot to catch up on. I'll give you some space."

Aranea left not long after, the clicking of her heels on the haven's ground was accentuated by the blunt tip of her spear every now and then. Once she was out of hearing range, silence fell around the camp until Ignis broke it by asking, "So… Daemonslayer, huh?"

"Oh, yeah. It's a nickname our clients give to me." Iris paused to chuckle sheepishly. "I think they're trying to be funny."

"Quite the contrary. It sounds to me that they are impressed by what you do," replied Ignis before dropping his smile a little. "And why… do you do it, if I may ask? Escorting all those people to Insomnia?"

Ignis heard a sigh in reply. "It's just that… I can relate with them, you know? I also think of coming back sometimes, see what happens to our old home. Sometimes I try to find anything that is still worth salvaging. Sometimes I succeed, other times not."

"I see."

Ignis turned towards where the campfire was. Another firewood cracked, filling in the silence that stretched out once more between them. The air was filled with a sweet and warm scent of smoke.

"... And you, Ignis? What are you planning to do once we reach Insomnia?" Iris' question rang clear and true, bringing Ignis' mind swiftly back from the past. "Don't worry. I won't tell Gladdy or Prompto."

For several moments, Ignis hesitated. Iris' story of coming back to her family home in Insomnia to see if there was still something worth salvaging was similar to his own, and that gave him a vague feeling that maybe she would understand his reasoning. Still…

Ignis took in a breath, then exhaled it again. "I ran into the leader of the Crusaders the other day, the one they call the King of Light," he began carefully. "He was… warping, and fighting in a style similar to Noct's."

A chilly gust of wind blew by, and when it finally went away, Iris broke the silence with another question. "So… do you think he's really Noctis? Has he really… come back?"

Ignis hesitated for a couple of seconds. "I'm not entirely sure."

"I see," replied Iris. "And if he turns out to be Noctis, what will you do?"

This time, his answer to Iris' question came without hesitation, "Then I will protect him."

A hum. Then, a shuffle as Iris was moving closer to the campfire.

"You know… once, I was escorting someone not much younger than myself back to Insomnia," she began next. "He was… a boy that I knew from our neighborhood. I ran into him in Lestallum, and when he said he wanted to visit Insomnia again at least once in his life… I knew I had to go with him."

Iris paused for a moment to let out a sigh. "So we got ourselves into a truck, and I went together with him into the city. We avoided many daemons and killed those that we really couldn't hide from. After several hours, we finally reached the neighborhood where we used to live. We took a turn, and then… when I looked around, I realized that I couldn't find him."

Ignis said nothing. He couldn't see Iris' expression, but he could sense that the experience still shook her even after it had long transpired.

"I guess the daemons and constant darkness must have made me a bit pessimistic," she eventually resumed. "But… sometimes I can't help but wonder, you know… how can we really protect anyone in this kind of world?"

For a short moment, Ignis contemplated Iris' question before eventually coming up with a diplomatic and calming answer. What his exact answer was, he couldn't really remember. What he did remember were the thoughts and feelings that followed, which dragged at something inside his chest as he retreated to rest.

What if he stopped Noctis from sacrificing himself for the world? Would the sun never rise again on Eos forever? Would more people have to die, swallowed forever by the darkness?

And would that make him a selfish person, wanting Noctis to live? To care more for the wellbeing of one person instead of millions?

Ignis sighed and tried his best to distract himself away from the spiralling thoughts. The most important thing now is to find Noctis, he told himself. Everything else can wait - even the world.


	6. Incendite tenebras mundi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: illuminate the darkness from the world

When Ignis woke up, he noticed that it was with neither the pain nor nightmares that had been following him for the past several days. It was a welcomed change, and one that he looked forward to taking advantage of before the effects could wear off.

And so, right after breakfast, he stood up from his seat by the campfire and asked Aranea and Iris, "So, what would be our approach to enter Insomnia? Have we any plans?"

"Of course. What do you think we are, amateurs?" Aranea grinned. "I would have shown you the map, but essentially we'll enter into the city from the flood prevention system."

"The Crestholm Channels?"

"Yep, that's the one. It's like a maze down there, those Crusaders would have a hard time noticing our entry."

"Interesting." Ignis paused to contemplate. "But the channels have always been infested with daemons, even before the Long Night. How are we going to handle them?"

"We don't have to." It was Iris' turn to speak. "There are mechanisms to open and close several gates in the channels. We can use them to get around the daemons and fight them only when it's absolutely necessary."

One of Ignis' eyebrows arched up. "You have a way to control such mechanisms?"

"Yes, of course." Iris chuckled. "How do you think I got into Insomnia the first time around?"

Ignis opened his mouth to reply, but was effectively silenced when a hand touched his own on his walking cane.

"Don't worry too much about it, Ignis. Aranea and I got this. We'll take good care of you."

There was clear confidence in Iris' voice that betrayed the image of a worried fifteen-year-old girl handing over her precious stuffed Moogle all those years ago. But of course, Ignis thought. Even Iris had to grow up, and with the sun no longer around, the sooner it happened the better.

Despite himself, Ignis couldn't help but wonder if Gladio had also discovered this new, mature side of Iris. Was he proud or worried for her? Had he come along with her on her expeditions to the ruins of Amicitias' family house?

And what about Noctis? Would he also have the time to grow and mature before he had to sacrifice himself to end the darkness?

Ignis shook the thoughts away as the two women before him got ready to depart the camp.

* * *

The Crestholm Channels were as dark and claustrophobic as Prompto had described the place years ago. Ignis couldn't confirm the truth visually, but the echoing steps that he, Iris, and Aranea made against the sometimes slippery concrete path were loud enough to paint a narrow space in his mind's eyes.

For the most part, Ignis was following Iris and Aranea through the winding corridors and steel gates. Then, at one point, Aranea held onto his forearm and they all stopped. "Hey… are you really ready for this?"

Ignis would have stared directly in the former mercenary's eyes if he could. "Always."

He heard a chuckle. "Well, you heard the man, Iris. Get that door opened."

There was the click of a key being turned, then the creaking of a door swinging open. Aranea guided him forward, past stairs and some more corridors, from concrete to stone and clay tiles. Then, Ignis felt a fresh breeze in his face, and knew instinctively that he was finally back in Insomnia.

"... Wait." He held onto Aranea's hand on his forearm, effectively stopping her and the rest of the group. "I heard something. We may have company."

Ignis could hear Iris step closer. Her posture was rigid and firm, likely in a defensive stance. "How far away?" she asked.

Ignis tilted his head. An echo bounced off walls, sending with it muffled syllables and a sound of something snapping. Perhaps a piece of wood. Despite his initial warning, Ignis took a step forward, and then another. On and on towards the source of the noise.

By the time Ignis felt the warmth of fire, he slowed to a stop. The syllables were forming clearer words at this point, albeit still echoed by the walls that surrounded them.

"I shall ask you this once again: will you surrender your body and soul to our Crusade, to end this everlasting darkness and bring forth the light that is promised to us all?"

There was silence that followed, save for a crackling of wood inside a fire.

"Very well. In the name of our King of Light, Savior of Eos, Protector of our Star, I sentence you to die."

Iris gasped, just in time as the sound of something heavy being swung and crashing through another solid, but squelching surface. Somewhere not so far away, a woman screamed. Ignis felt his blood curdle. "What is happening?"

"It’s an execution," replied Aranea. A soft buzz could be heard after she finished her sentence, a telltale sign of her polearm being summoned. "But from the look of it, it’s gonna turn into a massacre if we keep standing here and do nothing."

Before Ignis could say another word, both Aranea and Iris had bolted ahead - the former shouted some expletives to get the attention of their enemies before the clashing of steels filled the air. Ignis gritted his teeth and followed after the women, both of his knives summoned and ready. He reached Iris first, whose path towards a small set of stairs was blocked by charging muscles of a man. The younger woman barely had to lift her fists before her attacker fell sideways, holding onto the knife wound on his abdomen.

"Are you alright, Iris?" asked Ignis.

"Y-yeah… Thanks." Iris got up to her feet hastily before letting out another gasp. "The other prisoners are being taken away!"

"Then we must make haste. Go after them! I'll guard your back."

"Alright!"

Iris jogged away, and Ignis took a defensive stance. A man yelled before charging in his direction. Ignis took a step aside, evading a large blade that would have sliced into his shoulder, then sent a hard kick into his attacker’s torso. When he heard the sound of a large steel clattering down against the floor, Ignis knew that his kick had homed in.

Another assailant approached. Ignis thought of dismissing his knives and summoning his polearm, hoping that the weapon would serve better in keeping his attackers at a distance. However, just as he was accomplishing the first half of his plan, he vaguely heard another buzz in the air.

It could have been Aranea, perhaps. But what were the odds that Aranea would dismiss her weapon right in the middle of a fight?

As Ignis mulled over the question, guardless and weaponless, a single fist landed fast and hard against his solar plexus, causing a burst of pain to explode from his torso and force him to keel. Another punch was aimed next at his temple, sending him tumbling down the steps before losing consciousness.

* * *

By the time Ignis woke up, his world was spinning. He brought one hand to his temple, a sharp hiss escaping through his clenched teeth. It was at this point that he noticed that someone was talking, because the sound stopped the moment he moved. Then, whoever was there approached closer, each step against the hard stone floor added to the throbbing against Ignis' skull.

"You’re awake," someone announced - and Ignis thought the voice could have belonged to Noctis. "Good. Now, where was I… oh, of course. _In the Light of the Gods, Sword-Sworn at his Side 'Gainst the Dark the King's Battle is fought. From the Heavens high, to the Blessed below, Shines the Beam of a Peace long besought…_ "

With more than a little difficulty, Ignis moved to sit, but could only manage to support his upper body up with one elbow. "Who are you?" he managed to ask, his voice hoarse and brittle. "And what are you and your Crusaders doing in Insomnia?"

There was a sound similar to a book being snapped close. Then, there was silence. Ignis waited with bated breath, the beating of his own heart rammed hard against his eardrums.

"They are not _my_ Crusaders. These people… believe that I can bring them the salvation that they long for, and follow me on their own volition," explained the King. "And so, I’m here with them, in the Crown City, to fight the Accursed and reclaim the Crystal. So the prophecy can be fulfilled and Light can return to this world."

Ignis was silent for a moment. "Are you expecting me to believe that, after having witnessed an execution carried out in your name?"

A grim chuckle. "As I told you, they're not my Crusaders. I don't control them, only welcome those seeking salvation. But speaking of execution…"

The King approached even closer, the sound of his steps echoing against the stone walls. "You know, a couple of days ago, we found the fallen bodies of our brothers not so far away from the Citadel. Whoever attacked them must have used knives, or daggers."

The King stopped, a looming shadow above Ignis. "And then you appeared today, attacking us with a pair of nimble daggers. Is there a reason why we shouldn't think the two occurrences aren't related?"

Ignis tilted his chin up in a quiet defiance. "Are you going to kill me?"

"No. We need you alive, actually," replied the King after a moment's pause. "Tonight, we plan on storming the Citadel. But none of us know much of the area, which makes us quite vulnerable to traps."

There was silence that stretched for several moments afterwards, interspersed every now and again by the cracking of firewood. Eventually, Ignis broke it by pointing out, "Why should I help you when I barely know who you are?"

A dry chuckle. "Well, that makes the two of us. I… also don’t know who I actually am."

A moment's pause. Then, "People who found me - they witnessed the kind of things that I can do: conjure weapons out of nothing but Light, protect them from the daemons… and before long, they started to call me the King of Light."

Ignis took in a sharp breath before he muttered, "Are you aware of what that… _title_ entails?"

"Why, of course."

Another chuckle, then a shuffle as the King got up to his feet and approached what Ignis could guess as the fireplace - warm and aglow. " _When darkness veils the world, the King of Light shall come and purge the Darkness from our Star._ I was told that over and over again, by so many different people, all of them begging me to use my powers to help them. To get rid of this world of the darkness that plagues it.

"So what other choice do I - someone with no name and equally no past - have but to give them what they want?"

The shadow standing before the fire turned, and part of Ignis could believe that it was Noctis. Another part of him, however, knew that it must not be true. He was a Glaive, perhaps - reborn in a place so far away from Lestallum that Libertus and the others never got to find and identify him. Instead, a group of civilians must have found him and, awed by his magical powers, they had thrusted on him the title and the responsibility to lead them all away from darkness.

"... And how can I believe that you're telling the truth?" Ignis ended up asking - a last defensive stand.

"Well, I suppose you can't," replied the King. "But at the same time, you are also still our prisoner, so…"

Ignis let out a dejected sigh. Vaguely, he felt a gentle throb beginning at the back of his head. A reminder of the time when he tried to use the power of the Crystal.

"... You are aware that there is a price, are you not?" he asked some more. "To use the power of the Crystal… a blood price must be paid, even for the True King: your own."

There. Ignis finally said it out loud, in front of a total stranger with whom he had crossed weapons and been threatened with death. The truth behind what it meant to save Eos from its Scourge - and what Noctis must do - was finally out in the world.

A piece of wood cracked in the fireplace, filling in the tense silence.

"Then so be it." The voice that Ignis heard next was sure and unwavering. "If I really have to die… then no one else has to. Not even _your_ True King."

Ignis could have said that it was impossible. After all, he had experienced firsthand how it was like to be burned by the Crystal, to be punished for attempting to wield the power that was never meant for him.

But a part of him also wanted to believe the impossible, that no one else would have to die anymore in this darkened world. Not even Noctis...

"So? What will you do?"

Once again, the shadow loomed over Ignis' limited vision.

"Will you stand in my way, or will you help me?"

After several moments of silence, Ignis finally moved to stand up properly on his feet. He could vaguely see the hooded figure of the King standing before him and offering him a hand.

"I… will help you, of course."

Ignis reached his hand out, and for a split second, he was back to being a child again. His uncle had brought him for the first time to the Citadel to meet a black-haired 4-year-old boy that was later introduced to him as the crown prince. With a friendly smile and bright eyes, he took Ignis' offered hand with both of his own and shook it enthusiastically.

_"Nice to meet you, Ignis! Let's be good friends from now on."_


	7. Pacem sacrificium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: in death sacrifice.

The main road leading to the old center of Insomnia was rather empty when Ignis arrived there. No growling of daemons could be heard. Walking to his right was the King of Light, his steps were steady and sure as if in a march, which were replicated almost identically by the hundreds of his followers behind him.

With the assistance of his cane, Ignis marched on along with the men. To say that he felt like he belonged would be overreaching - after all, when he first emerged from a room in the Crusaders' Insomnian hideout, he could immediately sense the suspicion and distrust directed at him from all the Crusaders. Any tension soon melted, however, the moment the King emerged, touched Ignis' shoulder, and announced, "He is one of our brothers now. Together, we shall bring Light back to this world."

 _Brothers_ … The word had stayed with Ignis long after it was spoken. Years ago, when the sun was still rising and setting, he had his own sworn brothers. Had even walked the same path as he did with the Crusaders, albeit going in the opposite direction.

As they were about to reach the stairs leading up to the Citadel's entrance, the air changed. Ignis was not the only one who noticed this, however, as the Crusaders all stopped their march at around the same time.

"Daemons!" Someone shouted, and in an instance, sounds of steel blades being unsheathed and guns being reloaded filled the air.

Ignis, too, summoned his polearm, just in time to block a large blade that was swung down at him. The force of the attack alone was enough to bring him down to one knee.

"No!"

Someone called out, then there was a familiar buzz in the air and the daemon staggered from a sudden attack. Ignis felt the weight and pressure on his own weapon lifted, so he took the advantage by pushing forward. Not long after, the creature stumbled back with a loud groan.

Panting slightly, Ignis stood up straight. All around him, there were sounds of fighting: blades being swung and guns being fired, mixed in with human screams and yells and the daemons' growls.

Then, closing in to his right, Ignis heard that familiar buzzing sound again - and he couldn't not picture a royal Lucian arm materializing out of scattering blue lights in his own mind.

"Thank you," muttered Ignis before turning his attention back to his humongous opponent, which was in the process of getting back up to its feet.

"Don't mention it," replied the King of Light. "It'll be a misfortune to have our guide die on the first offensive, won't it?"

Ignis clicked his tongue. "I'd probably share your optimism if we were facing something smaller than a Red Giant."

"Well, fortunately it's not a Red Giant," drawled the King. "It's something worse."

Ignis would have asked a question if not for the loud howl that the creature made, followed by heavy steps that Ignis could feel under his own feet. Then the buzzing sound was there again, louder this time. And it came in the direction of their opponent.

Ignis cursed internally. "That's impossible. Is it… one of the Old Walls?"

As soon as Ignis finished his rhetorical question, he heard a telltale sound of something large and heavy being tossed in his direction. Both he and the King of Light readied their weapons, just in time for another buzz to resound and the two of them were once again blocking an incoming strike of a large sword.

Ignis shouted through clenched teeth, "We can't keep deflecting him forever!"

"What would be your suggestion, then?" asked the King with a similarly strained voice. "Let him trample on us and beat us up into a bloody pulp?"

Before Ignis could reply, sounds of gunshot suddenly split the air. Men and women then charged ahead at the Old Wall with a yell, eventually pushing it back as it let out another pained yowl.

"We got this, Your Majesty!" One of the Crusaders told the King of Light. "Go on ahead into the Citadel and restore the Light for us all!"

Ignis felt a tap on his shoulder shortly after. "You heard it, brother. Let's go!"

He nodded in reply, and together ran up the grand stairs that led to the entrance of Citadel.

* * *

When he first read about the invasion of Insomnia many years ago, Ignis had pictured the worst carnage and destruction imaginable. The Citadel, a longstanding symbol of Lucian monarchy for centuries, would have taken as much if not more damage than its surrounding city block.

Yet, as he walked the hallways of Citadel with the King of Light, none of the signs of such destruction was present. There were some rubbles here and there, but mostly the halls and rooms were intact, albeit empty of life. The marble walls echoed each step that they took as they made their way further into the heart of the palace.

"This way," Ignis gestured at one point.

The King followed close behind him, but not before remarking, "You really know your way around here well, don't you? Even without having to see…"

Ignis simply said, "It's not very difficult when you used to walk these halls almost every day."

"You did? I'm envious. I wonder how these halls must have looked then, under the sunlight."

Ignis couldn't help but see those exact things in his mind's eyes, of Citadel's marble hallways bathed in the soft spring morning light as he made his way to the throne room. Gladio and Prompto walked alongside him, with Noctis leading the procession. In less than an hour, they were about to depart for Altissia, not knowing the kind of fate that would await them in their journey… 

"... Hey."

A touch on his forearm, and Ignis realized just how much his muscles had tensed just from reliving the memory. He tried to relax and turned in the direction where the King of Light would have been. He imagined the other man looking at him, hood down, perhaps with a determined glint in his eyes.

"We will bring it all back," said the King. "Everything will be back to the way it was… for you, and for everyone else in this world."

Ignis said nothing. He couldn't, really. Not when his words formed a clump in his throat and the wound on his eye had begun to subtly throb.

"The Crystal is near," he muttered. "Over here."

They reached the doors to the throne room, and Ignis paused short of pushing them open as a thought occurred to him.

"If we are to back away now, we can," he suggested. "Maybe this is not your fight, after all. Maybe… someone else is meant to sacrifice themselves to bring back the Light."

There was silence, at first. A hesitant one. The King eventually broke it by saying, "I can't simply walk away. There are people who are dying for me to get through that door. They put all of their faith on me. I cannot turn my back on them."

Ignis couldn't find a word to reply to that. So instead, he pushed the doors until they swung open. The hinges cried out, announcing their arrival to any creature that was present nearby.

There were more rubbles strewn about the floor. Some of them were crunched under the sole of their shoes as Ignis and the King of Light entered the room. At one point, Ignis heard a buzz from his right as the King of Light drew out his weapon.

"Adagium!" yelled the King. "I've come to end your reign of darkness!"

The words echoed against the walls. At first, there was no reply. Then, Ignis heard a sigh, followed with the shifting of fabric. The air changed shortly, no longer still and stale but moving, yet the dusty, musty smell became even more prominent. Ignis couldn't help but be reminded of the times he was facing off the Chancellor in Gralea, how the room had been filled with a similar miasma.

"Well, well, well." A familiar voice echoed in the dark, followed with slow, deliberate footsteps against the marble. "Is that really true?"

Another buzz could be heard, this time in closer proximity to the throne. Another weapon had been summoned from the Armiger. "Then let us see just how well you will fare, shall we?"

Before the King charged ahead, Ignis had already summoned both of his knives. He dashed and leaped towards where he remembered the throne was located and swung down his weapons, eventually finding them clashing with another blade.

"Ah, I know you," remarked Ardyn happily. "I see that you brought a new face. There's no problem back home, I hope?"

Ignis gritted his teeth as he parried away Ardyn's weapon. "The only problem I have is with your continuous existence."

"What a coincidence. You are not the only one."

Ignis braced for a barrage of retaliatory attacks from one, two, and then three weapons. All swung down at him almost all at the same time. He expected a fourth one coming - but the strike never homed in. Instead, he heard buzzes of the Armiger across the air. Weapons of light and darkness clashing and locking one another in a deadly dance of steels.

It had all come from one direction at first, before the sounds bounced off to different parts of the room. More rubbles and dust chipped off the walls and fell on the floor. Shattering crystals and ashes grazed Ignis' skin in all different directions.

Ignis tried his best to follow the movements and the clashing of weapons until he eventually sensed an opening. Dismissing his knives in favor of the polearm, Ignis lunged ahead and struck down with a loud cry. The tip of his weapon went through something solid, and it wasn't long before Ignis could hear a pained groan.

"... And here I thought our relationship was rather amicable, Mr. Scientia," Ardyn managed to say before coughing loudly, almost theatrically. "Turns out I was mistaken."

Ignis pulled away his weapon, causing it to make a squelching sound. Ardyn fell down before him, possibly on his knees, and soon enough Ignis could feel trickles of ash-dust float up along his skin.

"... the Crystal!" The King called out, his voice was small and shivering. At the same time, a bright source of light suddenly appeared in the direction of the throne. Ignis inevitably turned in the direction of the light - and the scar on his eye began to throb.

"Wait…"

Ignis took a step forward, but the pain in his eye suddenly got unbearable enough to bring him down to one knee. At the same time, the King continued on, limping up the stairs to the empty throne. Hanging above the throne was the Crystal, which shone like a beacon through the darkness that veiled Ignis' vision.

"The Crystal… it's calling for me," said the King. There was a strain in his voice, like he was enduring an injury or a heavy weight. "Please, let me save everyone."

In the light of the Crystal, Ignis saw the King reach out to touch the artifact. The pain in his eye increased tenfold, eventually forcing Ignis on his knees and elbows. By the time he looked up again, a human figure was flying away the throne, backlit by a strong blast of light and accompanied by a loud scream.

"Watch out!!"

Ignis got up to his feet and managed to cushion the King of Light's fall, throwing himself down on his back in the process.

Groaning, Ignis tried to sit up. The pain in his eye had dulled considerably while the light of the Crystal rapidly dimmed, letting the throne room be swallowed once again in comfortable darkness. He tried to shake the King of Light awake, and immediately felt a tar-like, sticky substance oozing out of the other man's skin. There was a musty smell of Scourge and blood in the air, along with tingles of dust-like particles running along the skin of his jaw.

"... No."

Ignis felt a heavy weight pulling down at his chest. Had the King been infected with the Scourge all this time? Or did it happen just now, when he clashed blades with Ardyn? While the questions formed unanswered in his mind, Ignis barely noticed the footsteps coming from behind him.

"Well, that was rather entertaining," Ardyn purred. "As much as I'd like to continue this charade, however, I'm afraid it is your time to leave."

Ignis' reply to Ardyn came in the form of a yell - loud and hurt. He got up to his feet and summoned his polearm, which he promptly tossed in Ardyn's direction. The weapon promptly hit an assortment of weapons revolving around the former Chancellor. But other than that, Ardyn mostly stood unbudging as a mountain.

"Why won't you attack me?!" demanded Ignis.

"Why should I? I might accidentally kill you, which will be a rather unfortunate outcome." Ardyn paused to chuckle. "I still need your help, after all. You are one of the few people that can help our _dear Noct_ fulfill his duty."

Ignis let out a sharp gasp. "And why… would you want that?"

Ignis stared into the darkness and imagined it smiling back at him.

"Death comes for us all - or at least for those of us that are lucky enough," Ardyn eventually resumed. "And we don't want to let your king's death be in vain now, do we, Mr. Scientia?"

There were a series of echoing steps as Ardyn walked in Ignis' direction, then past him, eventually heading for the throne. "Oh, and please do take the corpse with you on your way out."

Ignis' voice shook slightly when he replied, "He is not dead yet."

"Not for very long," Ardyn replied in an almost sing-song voice.

Ignis wanted to retaliate further, but Ardyn's words made him aware that the King of Light did need his help. With a heavy heart, Ignis turned to the other man and helped him up, inviting a pained groan. When it was clear that the King wasn't strong enough to walk, Ignis took the liberty of lifting the other man in his arms.

As he was walking out of the throne room, with the barely conscious King of Light in his arms, Ignis abruptly stopped.

"And how can I know that it will not all be in vain?" Ignis asked out loud. "How can I know that the world will really be saved… if I let Noctis…"

Silence fell in the throne room. It stretched on for several seconds, or even minutes - Ignis couldn't quite recognize how long.

"Well, that really depends on how much faith you have, Mr. Scientia. Do you really believe that the gods are capable of saving this world?" Ardyn's voice was clear despite being far away, like a voice in a dream. "But most importantly… 

"Do you really believe that Noctis truly has what it takes to bring about that salvation?"

Ignis inhaled sharply and turned over one shoulder. But before he could so much as summon a weapon, the doors to the throne room were slammed shut before him with a reverberating hud.

* * *

By the time Ignis stepped outside the main entrance of the Citadel, he could hear gentle susurration coming from every direction, almost like snow falling.

At the base of the stairs, Ignis knelt and laid the body of the King of Light down on the cobblestone before opening up his palm to the sky. Particles like dust or ashes drifted down on his palm in the dozens. He closed his fist, and the dust disintegrated under barely any pressure from his skin.

And to think that such brittle things were capable of blighting a star and bringing about perpetual darkness…

The screams and yells and fighting had all been gone, like they had never existed in the first place - though Ignis was acutely aware that if he still had his sight, his opinion might have changed. In such muted silence, even the smallest noise became amplified, including that of the pained moan coming from the man laid down before him. Then, before Ignis knew it, the King's hand had shot up and clutched hard at his shoulder.

 _Like a dying man's grip_ , Ignis couldn't help but think as he placed his own hand over the other man's. "Try to focus more on your breathing. Don't force yourself to talk."

"... I'm sorry," the King of Light blurted, promptly ignoring everything that Ignis was suggesting. "I've failed… everyone… and you…"

Ignis let a fit of cough pass the King by before replying as calmly as he could, "No, you had not failed anyone. None of this was your fault."

"No." A squeeze on his palm. "Please… end me… before the Scourge…"

For a moment, Ignis lifted his chin up to the sky, as if he was praying to any gods watching above. And when he turned his face down again, he let out a shivering sigh, summoned his knife, and did as he was asked.

From up above him, the Scourge particles continued on falling. Like snow, or ashes of a recently burned down city.


	8. Flectere si nequeo superos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: if I cannot bend the will of Heaven.

In less than 24 hours after the failed Crusade, Ignis had found himself in a truck on the way to Lestallum. Both Iris and Aranea had driven and escorted him, all free of charge. Ignis would have known if it was otherwise, because he'd repeatedly offered them some form of payment - and Iris had repeatedly turned it all down.

"For gods' sake, Ignis," she eventually blurted. "We're friends! Just… shut up and let me take care of you, okay?"

The sentence alone had surprised Ignis just by the sheer fact that Iris had told him to shut up. On top of that, she had told him that they were friends. Sure, they had known each other for years, but Ignis had never thought that Iris would have considered him as anything more than a close acquaintance.

And so, with nothing else to say, Ignis was left with no other option but to let Iris do whatever she wanted to do. She started with visiting him almost every day, bringing food and helping him clean around the space that he had called home for the last few years. It was helpful, in the beginning, but as his wounds began to heal, Ignis couldn't help but feel like he was being given charity.

"Don't you have jobs to do with Aranea?" he eventually mustered the will to ask Iris one time.

"Oh, Aranea can manage well without me," she replied, chuckling.

Without skipping a beat, Ignis resumed with, "And I assume you don't think I could manage well without you?"

Iris was silent for a moment before sighing. "I'm so sorry, Ignis. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," she admitted. "I'm just worried about you, you know. Ever since we found you in Insomnia after…"

As Iris trailed her sentence, Ignis took in a breath and let it out as a sigh. It had been a while since both Iris and Aranea brought him back to Lestallum, and not once had either of them asked Ignis what had happened. He suspected that they were being careful about bringing up the topic around him. While it was appreciated in the beginning, Ignis couldn't help but feel bothered by the extra attention - almost as much as he didn't like being treated as an invalid.

"Is there something on your mind, Iris?" he finally offered, like so many other times. Hopeful that, this time, Iris would finally take the bite.

A rustling of fabric came from Iris' general direction. A nervous tick, perhaps. Then Ignis heard her take a long breath in, and then out. "The dead Crusaders that we saw with you in Insomnia… do you know what happened to them?"

Iris stumbled for words in the next several moments before finally settling with, "I mean… it's alright if you don't want to answer it, just… forget that I ever asked."

"No, that's alright," replied Ignis - and for a split second, he honestly believed in his own words.

In reality, all of his words left him at once. The moments when the King of Light was dying in his arms returned in full force, and it became all that Ignis could focus on: how his voice had trembled with fear by the time he requested Ignis to end his life. All of them combined to form a question that had been burning him since he had left those steps in front of the Citadel:

Would Noctis also suffer the same fate?

Ignis could feel the dryness in his throat grow as he began to tell Iris everything that was in his mind. All the while, Ignis listened closely to Iris' reactions, paying attention to her surprised gasps and hitches of breath. He had fully expected her to stop him from talking, to tell him that he had been crazy or overreacting. But none of that happened.

"Oh, Ignis." Iris called out instead. Before long, Ignis could feel two arms circling around his neck. "I am so sorry. I didn't know… you have gone through so much."

Ignis hadn't planned on returning the gesture. He felt numb, and tired, and truthfully only wanted to be left alone.

But Iris' hug stirred something in him, somehow. A deep ache that started to throb the moment her warmth enveloped him. Whatever it was, it drove Ignis to lift his hand and rest it on the small of Iris' back.

Then, not a moment later, Ignis found himself hugging the younger Amicitia back fiercely, while warmth was gradually growing behind his unseeing eyes.

"There, there," cooed Iris. "That's okay, Iggy. You can let it all out."

Ignis exhaled a shaky breath, nodded, and closed his eyes.

* * *

Time passed by, and stories about the Crusaders eventually blew over. People stopped talking about them at one point, as if the sheer memory of their existence and sudden demise was erased from society's collective memory.

Then again, in a world of constant darkness, so many things happened every day that pulled people's attention in different directions. There was a new pack of daemons terrorizing the main road, for example, or a problem with spoiled food supply that would potentially let an entire block in Lestallum go hungry.

But the news wasn't always so grim and urgent. Sometimes, it could also be hopeful - like when Prompto, Biggs, and Wedge were said to be coming back from Niflheim.

"We have to plan something! A welcome party, maybe. Something to celebrate their coming back safely," Iris suggested on one of her house visits. "Maybe you can help with the cooking, Ignis? I'll help you out, and I'm pretty sure there are others who are willing to help, too - like Talcott."

Ignis wanted to suggest that perhaps Prompto and the others would prefer resting after such a long time away. At the same time, he suspected that it was probably his only chance to convince Iris that he'd recovered enough to be out of the house by himself.

"I'll try," he ended up saying. "But under one condition: I have got to get my own groceries."

Surprisingly, Iris agreed to his demand almost immediately. Soon enough, Ignis found himself amid the bustle of Lestallum's main market. The experience felt almost surreal, yet familiar somehow. The chatter of buyers and sellers, the smell of the spices… it was as if the last few years of darkness hadn't happened. He lingered there for a while, taking his time and relishing in the memories for the first time in years.

Ignis returned to his apartment about an hour later, carrying a big bag full of fresh produce. He was about to place the grocery bag on the kitchen counter when the doorbell rang. Upon opening the front door, he was immediately greeted with a familiar-sounding, "Yo, Iggy. Heard you need a couple of extra hands?"

"... Gladio?" Ignis furrowed his brows.

"Yep. And I've got company."

"Hey, Iggy!" A chirper voice joined in, and Ignis could imagine Prompto's freckled smile being directed his way. "Heard you're planning to throw a party for _me_. Wow. I must say, I am honored."

Ignis said nothing at first. Both Prompto and Gladio noticed his silence, and were quite ready to scram when Ignis suddenly tilted his chin and said, "Not that I mind you helping, but… it beats the purpose of throwing you a welcome party if you help out with the cooking, doesn't it?"

All the tension in the air melted away in an instance. Prompto followed it up with a chuckle. "I guess not. But I've been away for so long… I started to miss you guys."

"Aw. Not too much, I hope?" Gladio teased. "Otherwise we might think Biggs and Wedge were boring you to death."

"Well, I'm still alive, aren't I?"

Ignis smiled a little as he listened in on the banter. Just as he was about to return to his grocery, the doorbell rang once again. Prompto went to get the door this time, revealing Iris and Talcott on the other side.

"Hey! We brought the alcohol," announced Iris before her attention was effectively diverted by the other two people already in the apartment. "Oh my gods, Prompto! You made it, after all! And Gladdy, you're here already! Come here, you two."

As Iris bounded for the other royal retainers, Talcott wandered in from the door and placed what sounded like glass bottles on the counter, just next to Ignis' groceries. "Might be useful to put some of those in the refrigerator," he remarked. "At least for the beer."

"Ah, y-yes," replied Talcott sheepishly before moving away for a bit. He returned again moments later, still bursting with nerves. "H-how are you doing, Sir?"

"Not so bad. Though perhaps I should be the one asking that question to you," answered Ignis before flashing an apologetic smile. "After all, I did leave you with nary a word back in Hammerhead."

"Oh! Don't worry about it, Sir. If anything, it's actually a good thing," Talcott replied. "Because of the attack, they needed a lot of help with the repairs back at Hammerhead. And since I was already there, I could help out, too."

"Ah, I can imagine."

"Yes! And now I'm working there full-time. Cindy recruited me," added Talcott. "It feels… good. For once, I feel like I'm actually contributing _something_ to society."

Ignis smiled wryly. Another man had also thought that he was contributing something to society, he thought. Only for him to die in vain - his body consumed by the Scourge as he begged a blind man to end his life.

But Ignis said none of those thoughts out loud, fearing that it would break the rare, festive atmosphere that was surrounding him like a warm and safe bubble.

* * *

The party was almost as long as it was short. Ignis spoke to many familiar voices in attendance: Cindy and Aranea among them, as well as Biggs, Wedge, and Dave from the Hunter HQ. It was perhaps the most he had talked to people in the past three years, which was rather ironic considering how many meetings and formal dinners that he used to attend back in the Citadel.

By the time most people had left the party, Ignis found himself sitting on one of the benches facing the fenced lookout of Lestallum. He and a few people had found their way out here, somehow, someway. The half-empty beer bottle in his hand probably had to do with it.

"So as I was saying," he heard Prompto began. "We found all these Magitek machines and schematics and papers back in the research lab. Some of the machines still look quite decent, but we'll have to see what Cindy will say after she runs checks on them."

"Sounds promising," said Gladio. "Hopefully we can find some clues there about what this Scourge really is."

"Ehh, I'm not so sure…" Prompto replied. "I read some of the papers as we were flying back, and from what I've understood so far, the Niffs seem to know… almost just as much as we do, really."

"And yet they still went ahead and developed the Magitek technology with it?" Ignis asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I guess…"

Silence followed afterwards, before it was followed with a collective sigh.

Next to him, Ignis heard Gladio mutter, "All these centuries, and no one really knows what we are facing, huh?"

"Indeed. This ignorance… is really causing a lot of problems." Ignis paused for a moment. "From the destruction brought forth by Imperial invasions… to the emergence of the Crusaders."

"Yeah. I think… we really all need to learn from our history and each other," added Prompto. "But most importantly, we have to share that knowledge with everyone. Otherwise, we'll keep making the same mistake over and over again."

Gladio hummed. "Sounds about right."

Ignis was contemplating Prompto's words when he felt a strong hand nudge on his right shoulder. "I know that look. Don't think that you should shoulder all those responsibilities yourself, Iggy," said Gladio. "I'm also up for digging up dusty documents in old tombs, if you need me to, y'know. Not just for the outdoorsy stuff."

"Gladio…"

Ignis opened his mouth to reply, but Gladio cut him off with, "Look, I know you've got a lot of things to think about after Noctis was gone. Maybe you're still not done with it, and we can't do the thinking for you… But at least we can help out as much as we can."

"Yeah, what Gladio said!" Prompto chimed in. "Don't feel like you're asking too much from us, Iggy. We will always be open to listen to you. You know that, right?"

"Prompto… thank you."

Ignis would be lying to say that he wasn't touched. After all, he had been pushing the both of them away for so long… and for what?

Images of Noctis on the throne of Lucis flashed by. The recent words of the King of Light, Ardyn, and Prompto were being replayed in the backdrop of his memories.

_If I really have to die… then no one else has to._

_Do you really believe that Noctis truly has what it takes to bring about that salvation?_

_We really all need to learn from our history and each other._

Ignis took in a sharp breath, just in time for a gust of wind to blow by from the cliff beyond.

"Gladio, Prompto," he began. "There is… actually something that the two of you must know… about Noctis' fate."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this fic to the end!
> 
> This story changed shapes several times as I wrote it, until I decided to make it a character study of Ignis during the first few years of the world of ruin: how he coped with his struggles and finally accepted the help offered by other people who genuinely cared about him. I also decided to have an open ending in relation to what happened to Noctis because, well, that part of the story probably belongs to another fic.
> 
> Many thanks to other writers in the WoR Bigbang event who have been so wonderfully supportive in this process! I don't know when or if I could have finished this fic without their inputs ;u;
> 
> Feel free to say hi on my [Tumblr](https://rolerei.tumblr.com).


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